The design of small aircraft windows that is constrained by engineering considerations allows passenger of an aircraft only a limited view on the outside world. However, implementing windows in aircraft increases weight, drag, manufacturing costs and maintenance efforts for the aircraft. Thus, there is a conflict between engineering boundary conditions and the desire for a higher comfort of the passenger.
Several attempts have been made to improve this situation. For example, document US 2013/0169807 A1 discloses a virtual window including internal and the external aspects of a real window, with the internal part having a folded or flexible high resolution color display that conforms to the internal profile of the aircraft fuselage as if it were an actual window. Document US 2004/0217976 A1 discloses methods and systems for processing images corresponding to views external to a vehicle where first and second signal receiving portions are configured to receive a signal corresponding to an image of a view external to the vehicle and a signal processing portion directs to a first display portion a first signal corresponding to the image and to a second display portion a second signal corresponding to the image.
There is, however, a need for improved solutions that enable passengers of an airborne vehicle to enjoy a realistic panoramic view to the outside of an airborne vehicle, for example an aircraft cabin.